When someone has died this can be a very sad and distressing time and there are several matters you will have to attend to. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the death, this will determine the steps to follow. We can advise and guide you through the process, any time of day or night. If this is the first time you have had to deal with a bereavement, it will be a shock. As experienced Sheffield funeral directors, we have dealt with a number of different scenarios, so please do contact us for help and guidance.

What to do after a bereavement has occurred.

  • First steps when someone dies at home

    Call the person’s doctor or the NHS helpline 111. Sometimes, when a person is on end of life care, you may have been given the nursing team’s contact number to call upon the death.

    A medical professional needs to come to verify the death. If the person’s doctor isn’t available, for example if someone dies at night, an on-call doctor or senior nurse can do this.

    At this point, please contact us so that we can arrange to bring the deceased into our care. If you would like the deceased to remain at home for a short period, please advise us as soon as possible, and we will give you guidance on this.

    The next step is for the doctor to notify the Medical Examiner of the death. The Medical Examiner will contact the next-of-kin in due course to ascertain that there are no concerns around the cause of death. Following this, the doctor with then be able to issue a medical certificate of cause of death, which you’ll need to register the death. The doctors’ surgery usually forward this to the Register Office and they will contact you to arrange an appointment to register the death.

  • If a person dies in a care home, the staff at the home will usually contact the doctor or other medical professional to attend to verify that the person has passed away.

    If you have instructed the staff that we are your chosen funeral director, they will usually contact us on your behalf once the death has been verified so that we can bring the deceased into our care.

    The next step is for the doctor to notify the Medical Examiner of the death. The Medical Examiner will contact the next-of-kin in due course to ascertain that there are no concerns around the cause of death. Following this, the doctor with then be able to issue a medical certificate of cause of death, which you’ll need to register the death. The doctors’ surgery usually forward this to the Register Office and they will contact you to arrange an appointment to register the death.

  • If a person passes away at a hospital, the relevant doctor (or family liaison officer) will advise the next-of-kin the necessary steps involved with issuing the death certificate.

    Until the paperwork has been completed, it is likely the person who has passed will remain at the hospital. It is important at this point that you contact us and explain that our services will be required. We will then liaise with the hospital to make the necessary arrangements, and will help and advise you on what to do next.

    The doctor will notify the Medical Examiner of the death. The Medical Examiner will contact the next-of-kin in due course to ascertain that there are no concerns around the cause of death. Following this, the doctor with then be able to issue the death certificate (Medical Certificate of Cause of Death), which you’ll need to register the death. The bereavement office usually forward this to the Register Office and they will contact you to arrange an appointment to register the death.

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  • In cases of sudden or accidental death, this maybe reported to the coroner. They have a contract with a funeral director to remove the body to the medico legal centre. You are under no obligation to use the funeral director who undertakes the removal. It is your choice which Funeral Director you use.

  • The death has to be registered within 5 days. Should this not possible, you will need to contact the register office and inform them of the delay, The person who registers the death must be a close relative, a person who was present at time of death, a relative who was there during their last illness, a relative who lives in the same district.

  • - Medical certificate of cause of death

    ​- The deceased person's birth certificate

    ​- The deceased person's marriage certificate (if they had one)

    ​- The medical card of the deceased

    ​- When you have seen the registrar, you will be given the death certificate

    ​- A certificate of burial or cremation (the green form for the Funeral Director)

    ​- A white form (BD8) for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)

    ​The registrar will then be able to explain to you the 'Tell Us Once' service

  • 'Tell Us Once' is a service that lets you report a death to most government organisations in one go. When you register the death the registrar will:

    - Let you know if the service is available in your area. (Sheffield does use this system)

    - Give you the phone number

    - Give you a unique reference number to use the Tell Us Once service online or by telephone'

  • ​Sheffield Registrar Office

    0114 2039427​

    Sheffield Coroner

    0114 2738721​

    Sheffield Medico Legal Centre

    0114 2738721​

    Barnsley Registrar Office

    01226 773090 (appointments)​

    Barnsley Coroner

    01226 736031

    Rotherham Registrar Office

    01709 823542​

    Rotherham Coroner

    01302737135